In New England, there’s a lesser-known fifth season that comes right in between winter and spring: maple sugar season.

This sweet pre-spring treat draws visitors to the Lakes Region from all over the world, especially during New Hampshire Maple Weekend (March 21-22). As the snow melts and the weather warms up, maple trees begin to produce sap, which is then collected and boiled down to make smooth, delicious liquid gold.

From pancakes drizzled with fresh maple syrup to candies and fudge, New Hampshire’s maple sugar season is a true culinary delight. Here are 17 ways you can celebrate the sweetness of the season with us — from local accommodations with special packages and events to the best spots for sampling a wide range of maple treats.

Events for Your March Calendar

1. Tap Into Maple at Prescott Farm

Every Saturday through March 28, experience an old-fashioned New England tradition at Prescott Farm in Laconia. Guests will participate in 90-minute, hands-on maple syrup-making activities, from tapping trees to taste testing. Along the way, the farm’s environmental educators will help attendees identify the correct trees to tap, share historical and modern tree-tapping tools, and explain the science behind the boiling process. The all-ages program kicks off with a 20-minute walk to the farm’s sugarhouse and ends with a hike back after, so be sure to pack proper footwear.

On Saturday, April 4, Prescott Farm will also host a Maple Candy Making event, offering participants the chance to turn maple syrup into two styles of candy. Tickets are $15 for members and $30 for non-members. Advance registration is highly encouraged for both events.

2. Indian Head Resort’s Maple Experience at The Rocks Estate

Discover the fascinating history of maple sugaring at The Rocks Estate, a 1400-acre scenic conservation property in Bethlehem. Learn maple sugaring techniques, admire the sights on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the estate, and speak with a fourth-generation sugar maker. Then, cap off the experience with a stroll around the New Hampshire Maple Museum, located just next door to the sugarhouse. Indian Head Resort’s Maple Experience is offered March 14-15, March 21-22, and March 28. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased when booking your resort stay online.

3. Maple Day at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum

On Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum is hosting its annual Maple Day. The family-friendly event will teach guests how Native Americans identified trees and first discovered how to make maple syrup. From savoring acorn flour pancakes with local syrup to participating in a scavenger hunt and viewing historic displays, the day is jam-packed with maple-focused activities. Outdoor events at the museum are free, but regular admission applies to tour the museum.

4. Tap into Maple Month at the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm

Two distinct experiences are heading to the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm this year. Maple Sugaring Tours, held March 5-7, March 12-14, March 19-20, and March 26-28, will explore the process of making the sweet substance from tree to table, as guests walk around the farmstead and learn from a knowledgeable guide. Preregister online or by calling 603-323-7591 (on-site registration is also available by 10:45 a.m. on the day of the tour, but space is limited).

On Saturday, March 21, the free-to-attend Open House in the Sugarhouse will also return to Great Hill Road in Tamworth Village. Pop over between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to purchase maple products, watch demonstrations of Dr. Edwin Remick’s handmade backyard sap-boiler, and learn about the history of sugaring.

5. Sugar Moon Fest at Hobbs Brewing Company

Hobbs Brewing Company’s annual Sugar Moon Fest will return on Saturday, March 21, from 12 to 4 p.m. The Ossipee Taproom will host a special release: not one, not two, but three variants of Sugar Moon BA Maple Wee Heavy, paired with food truck bites from MC Street Eats. Brewed to celebrate the spring thaw, the seasonal drink will be enhanced with candy cap mushrooms.

6. Maple Weekend at Just Maple

A weekend of family fun is in store at Just Maple in Tilton on March 21 and 22. Stop by to sample nearly a dozen handmade maple products, listen to live music, pick up a goodie-filled gift basket, and treat your palate to a range of delicious concessions (think: famous sap-boiled hot dogs and maple marshmallows!). Pro tip: Wear your winter boots, as it may be muddy.

Eats, Sweets, and More Maple Goodies

7. Maple Balsamic Vinegar at The Grove Shops

At The Grove Shops in Belmont, foodies can stock their pantries with a sweet seasonal item: dark maple balsamic vinegar. Produced with 100% pure maple syrup sourced from Vermont, this balsamic is smooth, creamy, and slightly acidic, making it perfect to drizzle over cooked salmon or as a marinade for steak.

8. March Maple Madness at Seven Birches Winery

Seven Birches Winery is celebrating the season with a specialty picnic platter: cheddar cheese, locally smoked maple syrup, crackers, pepperoni, and maple candy. The $26 platter — which is only available for a limited time, and pairs perfectly with their handcrafted wines — can be savored at the winery’s tasting room or at home when ordered for pickup. Plus, their signature maple cider (Rhythm Cider blended with Fuller’s Maple Syrup) is available while supplies last.

9. Maple-Inspired Cocktails and Sips

Restaurants and bars around the Lakes Region are partaking in the festivities with custom sips that celebrate the sweet ingredient. Head to Junction Lakeport to try the Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned, a perfectly balanced mix of Woodford Reserve bourbon, authentic New Hampshire maple syrup, and a few dashes of black walnut bitters.

Plus, Tamworth Distilling will be running a special maple-infused cocktail menu and offering complimentary samples of the Chocorua Maple Rye Whiskey, featuring hints of sweet oak, mild spices, and maple. Guests will receive 20% off a purchase of this spirit on Maple Weekend only.

10. Sugar Maple Mead at Sap House Meadery

In honor of Maple Weekend, Sap House Meadery will once again serve up its specialty Sugar Maple Mead. The complex, smoky drink is made from New Hampshire wildflower honey and pure maple syrup fermented together. Visit Sap House Meadery’s tasting room and pub in Ossipee, or head to downtown North Conway to check out the full restaurant and bar, bottle shop, honey bar, patio, and roof deck.

11. Maple Wing Specials at Uno Pizzeria & Grill

Sweet meets savory at Uno Pizzeria & Grill in Tilton, which will focus every specialty wing flavor around maple for the entire month of March. Better yet, the bone-in or boneless wings are only 50 cents on Wednesdays when you dine in at the family-friendly restaurant.

12. Maple Porter and Breakfast at Woodstock Inn Brewery

This year, Woodstock Inn Brewery is offering two ways to savor the sweetness of the season. The ultra-popular Kanc Country Maple Porter, featuring a new can design and made with Fadden’s Sugar Shack maple syrup, is returning to the North Woodstock brewery, as well as various New England package and grocery stores through March. (Check out the brewery’s recipe for sausage penne made from the sweet porter for a unique dinner.)

Plus, Woodstock Inn Brewery is serving up a maple breakfast on Sunday, March 22, at 9 a.m. With pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and New Hampshire maple syrup to drizzle on top, it promises to have everything needed for a nourishing start to the day. Purchase tickets in advance.

13. Maple Syrup Pitchers at League of NH Craftsmen – Meredith Fine Craft Gallery

Putting an artistic spin on maple season, the Meredith Fine Craft Gallery will be showcasing a collection of handmade maple syrup pitchers. These beautiful and functional pieces were thoughtfully handcrafted by local artisans. Each piece features rich glazes, comfortable handles, and formed spouts for steady pouring. Drop by the Meredith gallery to find your perfect pitcher (or pick one up as a sweet gift!).

Where to Stay During Maple Season

14. Steele Hill Resort

Perched at the top of Steele Hill in Sanbornton, Steele Hill Resort is getting into the maple season spirit and sharing a sweet taste of New Hampshire by showcasing its locally sourced maple syrup. Produced in partnership with Main Street Maple, the bottles of fresh syrup are available to purchase at the resort’s on-site market.

15. Purity Spring Resort

This Maple Weekend, your two-night stay (March 20-22) at Purity Spring Resort in Madison includes accommodations, a maple sugar welcome package in your room upon arrival, and a $50 gift certificate towards dinner, drinks, and dessert with maple-themed specials at Traditions Restaurant, Cafe & Pub. The Sugar Shack Stay N’ Tour package also includes a personal tour of three locally owned, family-operated sugarshacks: Brooks Family Sugar House, Turkey Street Maples, and Mooney Hill Maples.

16. The Lake Estate on Winnisquam

The Lake Estate on Winnisquam is inviting new guests and returning visitors to discover the sweetness of maple syrup (and the beauty of early spring!) in the Lakes Region with new seasonal offers and packages. On select dates in March, the luxury waterfront resort is offering rates starting at $249 for an unforgettable lakeside retreat.

17. The Common Man Inn

Turn your Lakes Region getaway into a maple-centric adventure with the Common Man Inn’s Maple Loop Package, available for stays anytime in March. The charming inn has curated a backroads driving route that brings guests from the bustling sugarshacks of Tilton to the quieter valleys along the Baker River. As your home base for the adventures, enjoy cozy lodging in the cabin-inspired rooms or suites — plus a welcome bag with top local treats waiting in your room. Guests will also receive a $50 dining credit for use at Foster’s Boiler Room on-site. Book your stay online and read up on the package details on social media.